Closure for vacuum-sealed containers with resealable pressure release

Abstract

A food container, of the type having a quantity of food vacuum-packed within a body of the container with a closure affixed on an open end of the body of the container, is provided with a low cost improvement for facilitating removal of the closure from the body of the container in the form of a vent opening extending through a wall of the closure overlying the open end of the container and a flexible film strip, a portion of which is sealed to the wall around an area overlying the vent opening. A portion of the film strip which overlies the vent opening is designed to be released from closure wall for equalizing the pressure within the container with that external thereto by pulling up on an unsecured end portion of the film strip. Furthermore, after releasing of the vacuum in the container, the film strip is able to be re-adhered over the vent opening. Additionally, the vent opening and the film strip are located within a locally recessed portion of closure wall so as to prevent inadvertent dislodging of the film strip or damage to it.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a vacuum-packed food container having a body with an open end, a quantity of food disposed within the body, and a closure affixed on the body of the container and held closing the open end thereof at least in part by subatmospheric pressure existing within the container, the improvement for facilitating removal of the closure from the body of the container comprising a vent opening extending through a wall of the closure overlying the open end of the container and a flexible film strip, a portion of which is sealed to said wall around an area overlying said vent opening in a manner enabling a portion of said film strip overlying said vent opening to be released from said wall for equalizing the pressure within the container with that external thereto by pulling up on an unsecured end portion of the film strip and in a manner enabling resealing of said portion of the film strip thereafter; wherein said vent opening and said film strip are located within a locally recessed portion of said wall of the closure. 
     
     
       2. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 1, wherein said wall of the closure has a centrally positioned area in the form of a raised button in an unstressed condition thereof which is resiliently held in a prestressed position deflected into the container by said subatmospheric pressure, said raised area returning to its unstressed condition upon releasing of said portion of the film strip. 
     
     
       3. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 2, wherein said film strip is formed at least in part of a plastic film. 
     
     
       4. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 2, wherein said film strip is formed at least in part of a metal foil. 
     
     
       5. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 2, wherein said vent opening has a diameter of less than about 2 mm. 
     
     
       6. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 2, wherein said closure is formed of metal and said vent opening, said recess and said raised button are stamped therein. 
     
     
       7. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 1, wherein said film strip is formed at least in part of a plastic film. 
     
     
       8. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 1, wherein said film strip is formed at least in part of a metal foil. 
     
     
       9. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 1, wherein said vent opening has a diameter of less than about 2 mm. 
     
     
       10. A vacuum-packed food container according to claim 1, wherein said closure is formed of metal and said vent opening, recess and raised button are stamped therein.